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Sep 30, 2013 | 01:43

Clock ticking on government shutdown

Sept. 30 - As the threat of a government shutdown loomed, President Barack Obama called on Congress to ''choose the right thing'' and pass a fiscal budget after lawmakers failed to reach a deal. Sarah Irwin reports.

TRANSCRIPT +

On the brink of a government shutdown - lawmakers in Washington fail to reach a compromise - just hours before a bill funding the U.S. government is set to expire.
Saying Americans will feel the economic impact of a shutdown right away - President Barack Obama called on Congress to reach a deal.
SOUNDBITE: President Barack Obama, saying:
"My hope and expectation is that in the eleventh hour once again that Congress will choose to do the right thing and that the House of Representatives in particular will choose the right thing."
Earlier in a day - in a vote along party lines of 54 to 46 - Senate Democrats killed a proposal by the Republican-led House of Representatives to temporarily fund the government - in exchange for a one-year delay of President Barack Obama's healthcare plan known as "Obamacare."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid rejected any change to the healthcare legislation.
SOUNDBITE: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, saying:
"To Republicans, Obamacare is a punchline to rile up their base. But, for American families, Obamacare isn't a punchline, it is a lifeline."
With the Senate defeat, the stripped down funding bill returned to the House - where a Republican aide said the GOP will not drop its proposal to delay so-called "Obamacare." It also will require the president, senior administration officials - members of Congress and their aides to all use the healthcare plan.
Speaker of the House John Boehner attacked Obama's healthcare legislation - saying it hurts the economy.
SOUNDBITE: Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner, saying:
"It's time for the Senate to listen to the American people just like the House has listened to the American people and to pass a one year delay of Obamacare and a permanent repeal of the medical device tax."
With little hope of a deal - and the clock ticking - funding for thousands of government activities is set to expire at midnight.

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